PASCO OS-8473 User Manual

Instruction Sheet
for the PASCO
Model OS-8473

POLARIZER SET

Polarizer

Introduction

The PASCO OS-8473 Polarizer Set is designed to dem­onstrate the polarization of light with the Basic Optics
System.

012-09205A

Theory

A polarizer only allows light which is vibrating in a par­ticular plane to pass through it. This plane forms the
“axis” of polarization. Unpolarized light vibrates in all
planes. Thus if unpolarized light is incident upon an
“ideal” polarizer, only half will be transmitted through
the polarizer. (Since in reality no polarizer is “ideal”, less
than half the light will be transmitted.) The transmitted
light is polarized in one plane. If this polarized light is
incident upon a second polarizer, the axis of which is ori­ented such that it is perpendicular to the plane of polar­ization of the incident light, no light will be transmitted
through the second polarizer (Figure 1).

Unpolarized

Light

First Polarizer

Figure 1: Unpolarized light incident on two polarizers

oriented perpendicularly to each other.

Polarized

Light

No Light

Second Polarizer

Polarizer Set 012-09205A

However, if the second polarizer is oriented at an angle
so that it is not perpendicular to the first polarizer, there
will be some component of the electric field of the polar­ized light that lies in the same direction as the axis of the
second polarizer, and thus some light will be transmitted
through the second polarizer (Figure 2).

Unpolarized

Light

First Polarizer

Figure 2: Unpolarized light incident on two polarizers

oriented at an angle

φφ

φ with respect to each other.

φφ

Equipment

The component, E, of the polarized electric field, E
found by using trigonometry: E = Eo cosf. Since the in­tensity of the light goes as the square of the electric field,
the transmitted light intensity is given by I = Io cos2f,
where I

is the incident light intensity and f is the angle

o

between the axis of polarization of the incident light and
the polarizer.

Polarized

Light

φ

I

o

φ

Second Polarizer

Polarized

Light

I = Io cos2φ

Limited Warranty

o

, is

The OS-8473 Polarization Set includes:

– Polarizing Filters (2)
– Accessory Holder (1)

To use the polarizers, snap a polarizing filter on each
side of the accessory holder.

Rotate the polarizers relative to one another to view the
effect on light intensity.

For a description of product warranty see the PASCO
catalog.

Contacting Technical Support

Address: PASCO scientific

10101 Foothills Blvd.
Roseville, CA 95747-7100

Phone: [phone]

[phone]

Copyright Notice

The PASCO scientific 012-09205 Polarizer Set Instruc­tion Manual is copyrighted with all rights reserved.

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